Grossman’s plate discipline earns him No. 2 spot in Astros lineup

He started his career with the Pirates, who traded him to the Astros in July 2012 as part of the Wandy Rodriguez deal. (The Astros are on the hook for $5.5 million of Rodriguez’s salary this season, so at least they’re getting a return on that investment.)

“I think it helped me switch hitting as a young kid,” Grossman said. “I knew that I could hit from either side, what were my strengths and weaknesses. And I learned what I could really do with certain pitches and what I can’t.”

Grossman was born in San Diego but grew up in Cypress, and he always had a good eye.

Still, it wasn’t until he arrived in pro ball with the Pirates that the importance of plate discipline was fully hammered home.

“I was with Pittsburgh before and they were big on it and did a lot of drills,” Grossman said Wednesday, before the Astros’ final spring training game of the year. “They emphasized that. It was part of my game I always had. It helps me tremendously.”

That’s not an overstatement.

With fewer than 300 plate appearances in the majors, Grossman, 24, is poised to be the Astros’ No. 2 hitter in 2014.

The sophomore was always expected to win an opening day job in left field after a fine half season in the majors in 2013. But he wasn’t widely expected to be at the top of the order.

All offseason and even last week, Astros manager Bo Porter talked of his excitement for Jose Altuve as the team’s No. 2 hitter. Dexter Fowler would be leadoff and Jason Castro would bat third.

The plan’s changed, and it seems quickly. Players said they hadn’t heard much about it on Wednesday.

Fowler is still at the top, followed by Grossman, on typical days. Then the Nos. 3-4 hitters will be Castro and Altuve — potentially flip-flopped if a lefthander’s on the mound.

“I think that thinking has changed a little bit,” Porter said of Altuve in the two-spot. “Just looking at Fowler and Grossman as two guys that get on base at a high percentage, and again, just trying to get as many guys on base in front of our, arguably, our best two hitters, Jason and Altuve.”

Grossman has a career .269 average and .381 on-base percentage in the minors. He’s capable from both sides of the plate as a switch hitter, too. He got on base against lefties at .402 clip at Class AAA Oklahoma City last season, losing just 10 points facing righthanders.

A righthander would typically keep Castro in the 3-hole, with Altuve fourth. Chris Carter, the designated hitter would be fifth.

The diminutive Altuve may not be a prototypical clean-up hitter, having him on base in front of Carter could garner the slugger more fastballs.

“That combination will be our top 4: Fowler, Grossman, Altuve, Castro,” Porter said. “Now, depending on who’s pitching, (it) will determine who will hit third and who will hit fourth.”

“He played his way into it this spring and from what it is he was able to accomplish last year,” Porter said of Grossman. “And just looking at his overall numbers throughout his career, he’s always been a high on-base guy. And the fact that he’s a switch-hitter, that helps us all.”

Grossman had a .332 on-base percentage in the majors last year, in 288 plate appearances. He did very well at Class AAA Oklahoma City, reaching base at a .396 clip.

It’s always been there in some form, that batter’s eye, and it’s helped him ascend quickly.

“Really as a young professional, just really getting it drilled into me: swing at a good pitch,” Grossman said. “Get a good pitch to hit in certain counts, and just continue to grow in that area and pick my spots and learn pitchers.”